CNN The Situation Room - Transcript

CNN The Situation Room - Transcript

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BLITZER: And we are back to talk about what some of the key issues are that we need to pay attention to going into the election tomorrow. And we're going to talk to two senators who confront war issues on Capitol hear -- Hill, that is -- and hear what they have to say.

Republican Lindsey Graham of South Carolina serves on the Armed Services and Veterans committees of the Senate. And Democrat Barbara Boxer of California is on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Glad to have both of you with us tonight.

Senator Graham, I'm going to start with you.

There's a brand-new poll out by CNN showing that six out of 10 Americans disapprove in -- the war of Iraq. In the same poll, 73 percent of Americans say they are angry, 20 percent content. Are these numbers going to cause the Republicans to lose control of Congress?

SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R), SOUTH CAROLINA: I think we will hold on to the Senate. There's definitely been a surge by Republicans. I think Republicans are coming home to the Republican Party.

And independents are asking more than just, what's going on in Iraq? This is not going to be purely a referendum on George W. Bush. It's also going to be questions asked by independent voters about tax policies of Democrats and their Iraq policy.

I'm not pleased with what's going on in Iraq, but the worst thing we could do, in my opinion, set a deadline or a timetable for withdrawal, because it's not about Tuesday. Iraq is about the next coming decades in the war on terror. So, I think most Americans understand, the Democratic Party's all over the board. And -- and we will see what they say tomorrow.

ZAHN: Well, Senator Boxer, you have got to concede, the Democratic Party has a wide variety of plans out there.

And a number of soldiers who were interviewed in "The Washington Post" today feel that, if you were to withdraw immediately, that is worse than staying the course, and it will have dire consequences. What would you tell those young men and women?

SEN. BARBARA BOXER (D), CALIFORNIA: Well, there are some who say that. There are others who contact me who say: Please, senator, get us out of here. It's a disaster. We're sitting ducks. We're targets.

So, I think the important thing is for us to work together. This shouldn't be a Democratic-Republican battle. And I think one of the good things that will happen after this election, as Democrats pick up seats -- and I don't know whether we take over or we just pick up seats -- it's unclear at this point -- I think what you will see on the Foreign Relations Committee -- and I -- I can speak to that -- is a lot more bipartisan cooperation on Iraq, because you Senator Lugar...

ZAHN: Why don't you have that now, Senator?

BOXER: You have -- well let me finish. You have Senator Lugar. You have Senator Biden. They work together. I work with Lisa Murkowski, with Chuck Hagel, and the rest.

The reason you haven't had it now is because Republicans in the Senate have strongly supported this president. They have rubber- stamped this president. That's why you see Rick Santorum , with a 98 percent agreement with George Bush, in so much trouble, and others, Jim Talent, the same.

So, I think, after this election, when you see more Democrats in the United States Senate and in the House of Representatives, there will be a move toward coalescing.

ZAHN: All right.

BOXER: And I'm really happy about that, because I think that's going to be good for the country.

ZAHN: Senator Graham, I see you nodding. But -- but why are you so optimistic...

GRAHAM: Mmm-hmm.

ZAHN: ... because even if the Democrats gain control of the House, and possibly the Senate, there are a lot of folks out there that are going to say that, as long as Donald Rumsfeld is in charge of the Defense Department, there's not going to be any appreciable change? Do you really see anything changing after this election? Do you see increased bipartisan support?

GRAHAM: Yes, I do.

Yes, I -- I like what Barbara had to say. I think it would be good for the country if we could come together and come up with a reasoned plan to make sure we win in Iraq.

Lincoln Chafee is coming back. He's certainly not a rubber stamp for the president. But the oddest of all races to me is Joe Lieberman. Joe Lieberman, I think, is going to win. I hope he will win. And when, he comes to the Senate, after going through the experience he has gone through, we should have all listened to him, because, if it was just about the war, he wouldn't win.

He's in the bluest of blue states. Most people that will vote for him disagree with him on the war, but they respect him, because they think he's putting the country ahead of party politics. And we would be all smart to kind of follow the Joe model, put country ahead of partisan politics, and we will all do well.

ZAHN: But, finally, Senator Graham, it's interesting that you would note that what Senator Boxer was correct, and, in bringing more Democrats on board, that you are going to have a greater chance for a real bipartisan effort.

So, are you welcoming more Democrats coming into the House and the Senate tomorrow? (LAUGHTER)

ZAHN: Is that what you're telling me tonight?

GRAHAM: No. No. I'm...

(LAUGHTER)

GRAHAM: ... I'm welcoming the idea of what she said, that we could work together.

I think Republicans are going to lose some seats in the Senate, but hold -- hold the Senate. To me, Iraq is not about November the 7th. It's about the next decades. And it is a part of the war on terror.

If we leave this country in shambles, Iran is the biggest winner. We will have a war between Turkey and the Kurdish north if Iraq breaks into three parts. So, I'm trying the best I can, as a Republican senator, to let my constituents in South Carolina know, Iraq is not going well, but failure in Iraq is catastrophic for the world and the region, and we have got to win this war, and we have got to work better together to win this war. That means change. That doesn't mean withdrawal.

BOXER: Well...

ZAHN: A very quick final thought. I can only give you 10 seconds.

BOXER: Well, change...

ZAHN: I got to run into a commercial break here.

BOXER: Change...

(LAUGHTER)

BOXER: Change is the order of the day, Lindsey. You're right. And change means change the Congress.

The Kurds are already semi-autonomous. So, let's just face reality. We need change.

Lindsey, I look forward to seeing you back next week in Congress.

ZAHN: All right, you two...

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